SZA
SZA was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey.
SZA attended a Muslim prep school and did not watch much current television or listen to much worldly music.
SZA did gymnastics in high school and had no plans of becoming a pro singer.
SZA appeared on the song ‘His and Her Friend’ from ScHoolboy Q’s ‘Oxymoron’ album.
SZA performed at the Red Bull Studios in LA and was joined on stage by Kendrick Lamar and Mac Miller in 2017.
MALUMZ ON DECKS
Before becoming Malumz on decks, Oscar Nyathi and Mandla Mtshali had been friends for 11 years when they began playing together.
Malumz on decks decided on their name because in their neighbourhood they would call each other ‘malumz’.
Malumz on decks received nominations for the Best Dance Album for Find Your Way released in 2019
The Duo won Best Remix of the year for the hit song Shayinumber. on the 26th SAMA 2020
In 2017, the duo released their debut album The journey. A year later they released their single, “Shay’ Number” which became the most played song on South African radio stations
GINO BROWN
Gino Brown is an only child and went to a private primary school called KEPS.
He wanted to join the school choir but unfortunately, the practice hours were not practical for him.
When he was still in school his transport driver overheard him sing and told his mother that he had potential.
Gino Brown‘s love for music was confirmed at only 7 years old when he first saw Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
If Gino Brown was not an artist he would be in the culinary and business field.
LIL BABY
Lil Baby topped the chart in 2020 with his second studio album My Turn, and again the next year with The Voice of the Heroes, a collaborative studio effort with Lil Durk.
Lil Baby was born Dominique Jones in Atlanta in 1994.
Lil Baby grew up hanging around Young Thug, Coach K, and Pee, leaning more toward a life of petty crime and street hustling while his friends went on to thrive in the music industry.
In 2015, at age 19, Lil Baby went to prison for two years for a probation violation. Upon his release in 2017, he jump-started his rap career with a mixtape called Perfect Timing, released in April of that year.
Lil Baby spent time with a much older crowd when he was younger. His mom would come out and check on him which led his friends to tease him by calling him ‘baby’ and that’s how he came up with his stage name ‘Lil Baby’.
LIL DURK
Lil Durk is 29-years-old and was born on October 19, 1992.
Lil Durk was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois.
Lil Durk has fathered six children. He has two children with his ex-wife Nicole Covone. The mothers of his third, fourth and fifth children – Zayden Banks (2013), Du’mier Banks and Skyler Banks (both born 2014) – are unknown. He and his fiancée India Royale welcomed their first child, Willow Banks, in 2018.
Lil Durk’s father, Dontay Banks, Sr, was arrested in 1993 after being caught up in a crack-cocaine distribution ring in Chicago. He was sentenced to life in prison in July 1994, when Durk was just a baby.
As of 2021, Lil Durk has an estimated net worth of around $3 million.
JUICE WRLD
RIP JUICE WRLD !
Juice Wrld’s real name is Jared Higgens, and his stage name was inspired by the 1992 film Juice starring 2Pac.
Juice Wrld’s emo vibe was a reflection of his real life. He often rapped about his mental health struggles in his music. “Wishing Well” is a song in which he really talked about his depression and addiction.
In the song “Lucid Dreams,” Juice Wrld’s comparison of dealing with heartbreak and sleep paralysis is not just a cool concept. Sleep Paralysis is something the rapper dealt with in his actual life.
Juice WRLD had often cited Chief Keef and 2Pac as his favourite rappers.
Juice WRLD’S musical tastes were very eclectic; he credited Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and Guitar Hero for helping expose him to rock acts.
YOUNG THUG
Young Thug was born Jeffrey Williams in 1992, in Atlanta, he is the second youngest of 11 children and grew up in the notorious Jonesboro South housing projects in the city’s Zone 3.
His big break came in 2013 when Atlanta street-rap legend Gucci Mane signed Thug to the 1017 Brick Squad imprint and released his “1017 Thug” mixtape, which has a darker, more trap-oriented sound but still plenty of yelping hooks and inventive punchlines
In his adolescent years, he discovered that he comprehended women’s fashion better, and began sporting new styles combining male and female attires, which he continues to exhibit at various events and manages to pull off.
By the time he was seventeen, he became a father. It was around this time that he started recognizing his talent for music and rapping. He knew just then that he wouldn’t be one to live a life of poverty any longer.
He attended elementary school up to sixth grade. He was expelled from school after breaking his teacher’s arm and was put into juvenile detention for four years.
CITY GIRLS
As of 2019, the hip hop duo has a combined net worth of $500,000. The duo has grown its value tremendously over the last two years. Today, it is reported that they charge up to $40,000 per show. At the same time, for club appearances, they get around $15,000.
Both JT and Yung Miami grew up in the area of Miami. They did everything together and even recall how at the age of 17, they were performing in strip clubs and nightclubs.
Yung Miami loved trap music and slowly brought JT into the mix. At one time, Miami was an Instagram influencer and had her own fashion line.
As a sign of where they came from together, their group stage name City girls derives from the pair being from Opa-Locka and Liberty City. T
City Girls had a role to play in Drake’s song called “In My Feelings”. Eventually, it even had a viral dance challenge and hit the no. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
NJOMZA
Njomza name is Albanian and means a fresh bud of a flower before it blooms. It’s the new bud, so it means something fresh, something new, something youthful.
At 16, Njomza became a U.S. citizen, and with the current political climate was swayed to go out and vote.
Heartache has also played a role in Njomza’s world. Her EP “Sad For You” is a compilation of lusty, intimate situations and self-love realizations.
Njomza’s first manager called her to tell her about the passing of Mac Miller, who was the first person to give her a chance in the music industry.
The greatest piece of advice that Mac Miller gave Njomza was that it’s all about the music and creating something that people can feel.
ARI LENNOX
The first app Ari Lennox uses when she wakes up is Instagram.
Ari Lennox’s favourite drink is a green tea cocktail which includes peach schnapps, Jameson, Sprite, and sour mix.
The most challenging song for Ari to write on Shea Butter Baby was “Whipped Cream”.
Ari Lennox writes her best material at the J. Cole’s shelter as well as in Los Angeles. She wrote the song “Up Late” in LA.
As a child, Ari Lennox was most afraid of the devil.
JUSTIN BIEBER
Justin Bieber’s mentor is the famous actor Will Smith. Will confirmed that the pair talks at least once per week.
Bieber is bilingual, speaking both French and English. It is not a surprise since Bieber is originally from Ontario, a French-Canadian province.
Before becoming a famous star, Justin Bieber dreamed of being an architect, stating that it would have been his career choice if his musical career had not taken off at such a young age.
Justin Beiber knows how to play the trumpet, guitar, piano, and drums.
In addition to Usher, Bieber said that his biggest musical influences are Justin Timberlake, Craig David, Chris Brown, and Ne-yo.
DANIEL CAESAR
Besides the former president Barack Obama, Stevie Wonder, Kylie Jenner, Liam Gallagher, Chance the Rapper, Shawn Mendes and many more are all fans of Daniel Caesar.
Daniel Caesar co-wrote Mary J. Blige’s song “Telling The Truth.” During the session, Mary gave him some weird advice. She told him to get a pot of hot water and put gummy bears in it and melt it down and drink it. According to her, it’s good for your throat.
Daniel Caesar was homeless for a while; he moved to Toronto to pursue his music career but had no place to stay and would crash on friends’ couches most nights, but on numerous occasions slept in the park.
Daniel Caesar’s parents had emigrated from Jamaica before he was born.
Daniel Caesar defended a Controversial Instagram Influencer YesJulz which caused a lot of his fans to cancel him.
BIG ZULU
Big Zulu’s real name is Siyabonga Nene.
Big Zulu was born and raised in Bergville, Big Zulu always loved music from a young age.
Some of his musical influences are Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Phuzekhemisi, and Imithente.
Big Zulu did not jump straight into music as soon as he could do so. He was first a taxi driver until 2008 when he decided to dive into the music scene.
In 2009, Big Zulu began writing, creating, and performing his own music in the Inkabi rap genre.
MDUDUZI NCUBE
Mduduzi Ncube had created various cover songs of rappers like Nipsey Hussle, Bryson Tiller, Lil Wayne and more before his rise to fame,
While in leisure Mduduzi Ncube loves to hang around his best friends.
Mduduzi Ncube’s favourite things to do is travel to new places and cook different dishes for his friends and family.
Mduduzi Ncube would sing to make money by the Durban beachfront before he was discovered by DJ Tira.
He made a wave on the entertainment scene in the country after he released his first single from the album – Isiginci. Taking the country by storm, it made it to the top, Number one, on the iTunes chart.
DJ STOKIE
DJ Stokie’s real name is Setoki Mbatha and he hails from Mzimhlophe, Soweto.
DJ Stokie released his Documentary ‘iPiano eSoweto: The DJ Stokie Story in December 2020.
DJ Stokie’s second studio album, My Journey, was released in December 2020 and features longtime friend and collaborator Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Sha Sha, Focalistic, Daliwonga and more.
His documentary prominently features appearances from fans, who highly praise Stokie, one even enthusiastically expresses, “He’s one of the Amapiano gods.”
On iPiano eSoweto, Stokie’s wife and deejay friends recount his transition from being a vinyl-playing deep house deejay to building a reputation for playing “exclusive” or “private school” ‘piano. They also share some of their earliest memories, going around townships for shows and getting paid as little as R40 (less than $3).
KABZA DE SMALL
Kabelo Motha known by his stage name Kabza De Small was born in Mpumalanga but grew up in Pretoria.
He kicked off his journey in the entertainment industry as a DJ in 2009. He released his first album ‘Avenue Sound” in 2016.
He took 2018 by storm when he released his hit singles Amabele Shaya and Umshove which he performed on various stages with his Amapiano counterpart Leehleza.
Kabza De Small has collaborated with the likes of MRF Souls, Gaba Cannal, Afrosoul Sax, Josiah, Kopzz Avenue, Tribe Franko, and many more artists in Amapiano.
In January 2019, Kabelo released Bamba La featuring Leehleza and in May 2019 his most notable joint project with DJ Maphorisa, Scorpion Kings was released.
J. COLE
- Cole’s real name is Jermaine Lamar Cole.
- Cole isn’t a fan of ‘The New Workout Plan’, despite sampling it on his song ‘Work Out’.
- Cole was born on 28th January 1985 in Frankfurt Germany, where his dad was based in the US Army. Cole’s mother is German.
- Cole started rapping when he was 12 years old and started taking it more seriously three years later when he hooked up with a local rap group called Bomm Sheltuh, which featured rappers Nervous Reck and FilthE Ritch.
- Cole originally had the rap names Blaza and Therapist.
MIGOS
The Migos spent their childhood in the same small house, raised in the northern Atlanta suburbs of Gwinnett county by Quavo’s mom
The trio’s breakout single ‘Versace’ came out in 2013 and later saw Drake remix it.
The Migos came up with the famous dance move the Dab.
Childish Gambino gave the Migos a shout out at the golden globe awards for making the song ‘bad and bougie.
Quavo is collaborating with one direction’s Liam Payne on the latter’s first solo single, Strip that down.
RIKY RICK
He spent a portion of his childhood in Austria Although Riky Rick was born in KwaMahu in KwaZulu-Natal, he spent much of his childhood in Austria, where he developed his love of sneakers and fashion.
In 2017 Riky Rick won a silver award for Kyle Lewis-directed short film in the Television, Film And Video Communication: Music Video category. This was for his 2016 impressionistic black-and-white short film, Exodus.
Ricky Rick is royalty on the Venda side of his family. He has been trying to reconnect with that side of his family and it is something that he is actively pursuing.
When he launched the Cotton Club Records Pop-Up Store, he shut Braamfontein down.
He listens to a lot of jazz music in his spare time. His favourite jazz artists are Gil Scott-Heron, Grover Washington Jr, Jeff Lorber and Nduduzo Makhathini.”
SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA
The Swedish House Mafia got their name accidentally. Other artists provided them with the moniker ‘House Mafia’ that stuck.
They believe their breakup announcement increased their popularity. Their breakup announcement created so much buzz, that otherwise uninterested fans began taking notice.
Forbes ranked Swedish House Mafia third in its annual list of the highest-earning EDM artists, listing the trio’s yearly income as $14 million before their farewell tour.
Forbes noted that Swedish House Mafia were the first electronic artists to headline at Madison Square Garden.
One of their earliest regular concert venues was a pizzeria. Hungry patrons who wanted a little house music to go with their pepperoni were in luck when the trio began DJing at a Stockholm pizza parlour.
DRAKE
Drake started as an actor in a Canadian teen drama called Degrassi: The Next Generation. Drake played the role of a basketball star left disabled after a school shooting.
Drake was mercilessly bullied at school for being a mixed-race Jewish kid with acting and hip-hop aspirations.
At 19, Drake moved to LA to be a songwriter and wound up as one of many writers working for Dr Dre’s Aftermath Records.
‘Drake’ is the rapper’s stage name. Forget ‘ChampagnePapi’ or ‘6 God’, his full name is actually ‘Aubrey Drake Graham’.
Drake’s father, Dennis Graham was a drummer who worked with Jerry Lee Lewis while his uncle, Larry Graham, played bass for Prince.
